Multibarrel gun



` March 13 1924.

- HNEIDE MULTIBARREL GUN Filed 1924 6 hetS-Sheet March 18, 1924;

E. SCHNEIDER MULTIBARAREL GUN Filed Jan. 4, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 M&

I fl m f E & w w W a\ E March-l8 19243 E. SCHNEIDER -HULTHARREL GUNQ 6 Sheets Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 4-, 1924 March s, 1924.-

' E. SCHNEIDER MUL'EIBARREL GUN 1924 esheis-sneet 4 Filed Jan. 4

Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES EUGNE SCHNEISDER, or rmrs, FRANCE, AssIGNon TO SCHNEDR& cin., mim; FRANCE, A. LIMITED ;rom'r STOCK COMPANY or FRANCE. r

MULTIBARRELV GUN.

Application filed January 4,;19g4; Serial m. &84,420. i

To a ZZV'whOm it may c-ncern:

Be it known that I, EUGNE SCHNIDER,

at Paris, France, have invented new and useful lnprovements in Multibarrel Guns, which is fully 'set forth in' the following specification. A

hisinvention has for itsobjectto provide an .improved multi barrel improvedgun is characteri'zed by the con jugation of its barrels in. pairs or ingroups each comprising an even number 'ofbarrels The conjugation is such that a `portio` joi the,;energy;, lu .mil Y QQQ Q. l or-.one group of barrels, is utilized inasiiit able recuperator for running-out the other barrel or group of barrels of the coiijuga tion, and vice versa. This conjugatibn'al laws of maintainng an approximatelyjconstant position of the centre of gravity of the -whole of the movable parts of the during firing. Part of the energy of the recoil may nevertheless be utilzed for effecting automatic operation of the breech mechanism or mechanisns, the loading device or devices, and also, if required, of the firing mechanism or mechanisms.

The invention will be readily undersjtood by reference to the accompany'ng drawings, illustrating two embodinents of the inventive idea, and wherein: t

Fig., 1 is a cross section of two coiiju gated, gun barrels illustrating one embodment of the present inventon. v

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 o' Figure 1, viewed from underneath, showing the two barrels in one position of operation.

showing the barrels in another position of operation.

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of another constructional form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the brake mechansm and recuperator shown in Fig. 4:;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 viewed from underneath, the conjugated parts being shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are similar' sectional views showing the parte in the position they oc- Figure 3 is a similar horizontal section.

cupy during two-successive phases of their working when one ;of thebarrels is fired;

*Fig- 9 is a horizontal-section taken' on'the line 9-9 of Fig.. 5; -;z Fig. '110 is i a *longitudinal sectional -view, s`omewhat enlar'ged',jillustrating more 'clear-' ly .the'detail's of 'the 'braking'cyliiiders r Referring tothe drawings,'=`-wherein like reference characters 'refer to 3 like parte throughout i the i several viewsf and particu lady to Figs' l'to'fi inclusive, 'two f bar rels A; aiidB arecarried ii a common Cradle- CfiEach 'li rrel is' c'ic'iinecte'd: to' one `'='tlie` elements (D and E respcti vely) pi a brale;

of which is onnected t' the common'cradle. `"Inth; illustrated example it is that the cylinders and '-G i are 'fori'ed in the cra dle Cg'and that each of the barrels A", B secured`-^`to 'a tubu'lar piston rod (D, E) res'pe'ctively. This rodD terminates in a movable head'D working liquid-tight in the 'cylinder `Ff and' constituting a diaphragm -(d around 'a -counter rod f which is tothe bottom ofthe'cylindei` e F and is formed atone'end with a pisten head Working in the tubular -rod D. The tubular rod E has likewise a pisten headE working liquid-tight in-the "cylinder Gr and constituting a diaphragm 6 -around a counter rod g along which therod E moves that is carried by 'the bottomof the cylinder G. The two cylinders F and 'G communicate with each other at their rear ends through an orifice H. i

It is assumed that the parts arein position shown in Figure 2, and the gun barrel A is loaded: then'the firing of this barrel will cause a recoil of the combination A,- D. This recoil will be braked by theforcing of the liquid through the diaphragm d At the same time the piston head D will forc-e liquid to the rear through the orifice H against the piston head E with the result that this piston head, and consequently the whole arrangement B, E is driven forwards. A portion of the energy of the recoil of the barrel A is thus utilized to runout the barrel B. After the barrel A is fired, the parts assume finally the position 'shown in Figure 3. v u

If now the barrel B be fired, the same effects will be produced, but inversely, and after the firing, the parts will assume the positions shown igureZ., The position of thec'ntre of gravity of the moving system A- D-B-E remains approximately constant for the duration'of the il-ing.

The improved 'of 'this invention may be mounted on a gun'cari'iagc of any known type. For travelling on the road the gun barrels may occupy either of the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3, or they maybe moved into a position in which the rear en'd surfaces of their breeches aresituated in one and the same plane, and they may be fixed in this position by means of a locking device. I

Referring to the 'second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in 4 .to 10 inclusive, the conjugated grin barrel A and B 'arelikewise carriedby a common cradle G."-.,Each barrel isconnected to a cylindricalgrod (D and E respectively) slidable in a; sheath (I and J respectively), shath has a head (I J .the pi'sto'n of a brake whereof ,the cyliider (E,- G)is carried by the Cradle C: Thetwo attheir'rear ends-by ja duet K Each of the, barrels A, B car-lies further a tappet (At, B 'foractuating the movable element of a recuperator of a spring or othertype.

In the illustrated example this recuperator comp'rises a cylinder L in which a rod M can slide: provided at its-forward end with a head M against which bears a spring N, 'andat its outerend with a mushroom head M by :which the said rod is moved alternately by the tappets A and B?. p

'It is'ass'umed that the parts are in the position shown in Figure 6, and one of the barrels A is being fired, wlereupon the recoil of this barrel will cause therod and sheath I to move together towards the rear. The recoil is braked by the throttling of the lqud in the cylnders F and G in its flow through a groove 7: in the sheath I which latteslides along a straight ;fillet F? on the inside surface ofthe cylinder F. At the same time the 'liquid forced .towardsa the rear by the end of the tubular rod D and the rear end face of the sheath I acts upon the closed end E of the rod E, and tlus causes this rod, and consequently also the barrel B, to move in the forward direction. In this forward movement the barrel B carries along with it by means of the tappet' the forcing of the liquid of the cylinder G into the cylinder F by the tubular rod E causing the barrel A to run out again, and thereby return the parts finally into the position shown in Figure 6.

If in starting from this position the barrel B-be fired, the partsv at the end of the recoil Will have .the position shown in Figure 8, after which the barrel A is run-in again by the action of the recuperator, whereas the barrel B is run out again by the forcing of the liquid out of the cylindcr F and into the cylinder G, and the action of the liquid forced upon the combination E,

I It is to be understood that each of the barrels A, may be replaced byone or more groups each of two or moregba-rels, conncted as a' whole to a single" recuperator brake. Or each group may have its own recuperator brake; the "single -recuperator brake of any 'one group being -conjugated with the recuperat'or brake 'or brakes of the other group or group's by any one of the abovedescribed means or any other suit able jman ner. i 5 i i It is likewse to be 'unders'tood 'that it is not necessary to utiliehwhole of the en ergy of the rec'oil of anyone barrel or any one group of barrels for efiecting the' runn'ing' out'of ;the other barrelor other group of barrels, and that a part 'of such energy may be utilized in the known manner for efectin'g the automatic operation of the m'echansms for opening and closing 'the gun br'eeches, and for 'loading and firing the gun barrels. i

The illustrated' examples show What is consider'c'cl to be the most practical method of efi'ccting the Conjugation of two gun barrels or of a group of gun barrels by means of a hydraulic recuperator-brake apparatus. The braking and recuperating apparatus -however may be of any suitable type and the Conjugation of the movements of the two barrels may be efl'ected by means of devices of ;a purely mechanical, pneumatic, hydropiiumatic, or other type.

Having now particularly' described and 'ascei tained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I 'declare that what I claim is zi 1. A multi-barr'el gun comprising, in combination, an even plurality of barrels, a common Cradle for said barrels, means including a rod and an apertured diaphragm having operative engagement with each of said barrels for braking the recoil of the latter, and means for transferring the energy of recoil of one barrel to the rod and diaphragm of an adjacent barrel for running out the latter, said rod and diaphragm having relative longitudinal movementduring the recoil of the barrels.

2. A multi-barrel gun comprising, in combination, conjugated barrels, a common Cradle for said barrels having theren a pair of cylinders, means having operative engagement with each of said barrels including a rod and a diaphragm positionecl in each of said cylinders for brakng the recoil of one bari-el and simultaneously running out another of said barrels, said diaphragm being inovabl mounted in said oylinders and having relative longitudinal movement with said rod during recoil of the barrels;

3. A multi-barrel gun comprisng, in combination, an even plurality of recoiling barrels, cylinders positioned adjacent said barrels, a diaphragm slidabl mounted in each of said cylinders, a rod Secured to each of said barrels and normally extending within said cylinders, a recuperator positioned adjacent said barrels, and tappets Secured to said barrels to engage the movable element of said recuperator during the running out of said barrels.

4. A multi-barrel gun comprising, in combination, a cradle, an even plurality of barrels mounted in 'said Cradle the breech of r saidbarrels being normally in the same vertical plane, means for braking the recoil of said barrels and for simultaneously running out one of said barrels, tappets on said barrels, and a recuperator having engagement With said tappets and adapted to be ene'rgized by the recoil of one of the barrels for returning the latter to their normal .position of alignment.

on said barrels for actuating the movable element of said recuperator to recharge the latter during the running out of one o' saidbarrels.

6. A multi-barrel gun comprising, in combinaton, an even plurality of barrels, a Cradle for said barrels having cylinders formed therein, said cylinders being in communication with each other, a sheath slidably mounted in each of said cyl nders, a rod connected to each of said barrels and eX- tending within said sheaths, a spring recuperator Secured to said Cradle, tappets movable With said barrels for actuating the movable element of said recuperator to recharge the latter during the running outof one of said barrels, said recuperator being adapted to return the running out barrel back to its departure position, and to return the barrel which has just recoiled to its departure position.

7. A multi-barrel gun comprising, in combination, a cradle, an even plurality of guns mounted in said Cradle and normally havng their muzzles in alignment, means for braki,

ing the recoil of said barrels and simultaneously running outatleast. one of sad..bar-

rels, said means including a rod and a sheath, one of said last named elements being connected to said Cradle and the other of said elements to one of said barrels, tappets rigidly Secured to said barrels, and a recuperator including a' movable element, said last named element having engagement with said tappets for returning said barrels to their normal position of alignment after recoil and running out.

Dated this 23rd day of November, 1923.

In testimony Whereof I have signed this specification.

EUGNE SCHNEIDER. Witnesses:

i ANDR MOSTICKER, LOUIS GABDET. 

